Hellmouth of Napa [hellmouth_napa]
We followed the others in Wesley’s vehicle. There was fire, destruction, and chaos all around. The smell of the dead polluted the air. Soon we came to a halt behind them. I looked at Wesley with a quizzical look in my face. I realized that we were right on the spot where it had all begun; on the thing they called the Hellmouth.
Spike exited the vehicle and joined the others. I pulled the door open and exited as well, waiting for Wesley to do the same. As he did I took his hand. It was merely by impulse, it was as if though the shell remembered this simple gesture. I had seen this gesture used by many so called lovers on the thing they called a television... Th- Fred, had done this same gesture many times.
I looked around me and it was a pitiful sight. Everywhere there was death; the whole place reeked of it. The earth was split into many pieces while smoke and the aroma of charred bodies filled the air.
I was used to seeing such chaos and destruction. For several generations, I had been the cause of most of it. Long ago, I would have rejoiced at such a sight. I was a conqueror of lands, of lower beings. I was destruction and the ecstasy of death. But somehow, on this night, I found the sight repulsing.
I shifted my gaze to the others, and I could already feel their rejection of me. I could see it in their eyes. They disapproved my proximity to Wesley, our newfound intimacy and our evolving emotions toward each other. It radiated off of them in waves, waves of mistrust and of disbelief. The only one who seemed tolerant of my presence was Spike.
Finally we had almost reached the others. Then I realized... this Hellmouth. It was a most interesting thing. Its power was deeply rooted to the center of the earth. I turned to Wesley, and tilted my head just slightly to one side.
"There is an imbalance of power here, Wesley. This spot reeks of it... it reeks of evil."
Spike exited the vehicle and joined the others. I pulled the door open and exited as well, waiting for Wesley to do the same. As he did I took his hand. It was merely by impulse, it was as if though the shell remembered this simple gesture. I had seen this gesture used by many so called lovers on the thing they called a television... Th- Fred, had done this same gesture many times.
I looked around me and it was a pitiful sight. Everywhere there was death; the whole place reeked of it. The earth was split into many pieces while smoke and the aroma of charred bodies filled the air.
I was used to seeing such chaos and destruction. For several generations, I had been the cause of most of it. Long ago, I would have rejoiced at such a sight. I was a conqueror of lands, of lower beings. I was destruction and the ecstasy of death. But somehow, on this night, I found the sight repulsing.
I shifted my gaze to the others, and I could already feel their rejection of me. I could see it in their eyes. They disapproved my proximity to Wesley, our newfound intimacy and our evolving emotions toward each other. It radiated off of them in waves, waves of mistrust and of disbelief. The only one who seemed tolerant of my presence was Spike.
Finally we had almost reached the others. Then I realized... this Hellmouth. It was a most interesting thing. Its power was deeply rooted to the center of the earth. I turned to Wesley, and tilted my head just slightly to one side.
"There is an imbalance of power here, Wesley. This spot reeks of it... it reeks of evil."